New Film: “Earth”

In addition to being a totally bodacious friend and fellow lover of killer music, my sister Lisa is also quickly becoming a very well-respected environmentalist blogger. I admit that I haven’t been as steadfast in my adherence to living a green lifestyle, but I’m trying, and my sis has certainly set quite an example. Because of her blog, Retro Housewife Goes Green, she is constantly sent free environmental products to test, and recently was even asked to participate in a conference call interview with the makers of Disneynature‘s first feature, Earth. In addition, she was given a press pass to an advanced screening of the film and given permission to bring along one guest. She asked me, so this past Wednesday we went to Bricktown in Oklahoma City to see the movie, and for an evening it almost felt like we were important people. We got to move to the front of the line and were given first choice in seating. I’m bragging about all this because it felt cool, so deal with it.

Earth is an award-winning nature documentary made by the BBC and released internationally in 2007. In keeping with the general lagtime of the United States in regards to anything having to do with planetary preservation, it is finally seeing release here on April 22nd (Earth Day, natch). It is a companion piece to possibly the greatest show ever to air on television (with apologies to The Wire), Planet Earth, and was directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield.

The film utilizes a few select scenes from Planet Earth, but there is no reason to complain about the overlap since it is staggering to view those moments in high definition on a giant screen. The movie is being marketed as a modern update on Walt Disney’s nature documentaries of the 1950s and is being billed as family friendly. The majority of the audience watching with us was indeed comprised of young children, and they all seemed completely engrossed in the film. However, adult audiences will find just as much to enjoy, and I urge everyone to see this in theaters while you have a chance. Oh, and the American version is narrated by Darth Vader rather than the British version’s Captain Picard.